08/31/2026
The Museum remembers BPAA Hall of Famer Howard Baum.
Baum was the epitome of a grassroots leader. At the time of his BPAA Hall of Fame induction in 2008, Howard was nearing 50 years in the bowling industry and had been extremely active since building B & B Bowling Lanes on Aug. 10, 1959, the first modern bowling center to open in Fayetteville, N.C., expanding from 16 to 24 lanes in 1972.
Howard’s involvement in BPAA began in the 1960s serving as Fayetteville Bowling Association (USBC) president and BPA of the Carolinas president (1965 to 1967). In the '70s, Baum expanded his volunteer leadership to the national level by serving on BPAA’s Youth Committee while beginning an unprecedented run that continued into the 21st century as BPA of the Carolinas/Georgia Executive Director (1977-2016).
The '80s saw Howard remain involved on the national level as a member and then chairman of BPAA’s Tournament Committee, while also serving on the BPAA Board of Directors for 6 years. Heading into the 21st century, Howard’s BPAA service included chairman of the BPAA Convention/Bowl Expo Committee (1994 to 1996), as well as serving on the Nominating Committee (1996 to 1997), Bowl Expo Advisory Committee (1996 to 1997) and Military Relations Committee (2002 to 2004).
Also a BPAA President’s Medal recipient (1994), Howard’s claim to fame came in the areas of tournaments, youth bowling and bowling proprietor conventions. Nationally, he led BPAA’s Tournament Committee during arguably the most successful period in BPAA tournament history, as well as running extremely successful tournaments on the state level. One of his greatest achievements centered on his tenure as BPAA Convention chairman, where he led the renovation of the convention and gave birth to the Bowl Expo we know today. In addition to his 55-year marriage to his wife, Lynda, Howard was a proud father to two daughters, Marcia and Nancy, and a grandfather of six.
